Cancer survivor and Kerala MP Innocent has urged Parliament to intervene in exploitation rackets run by private hospitals which see health care as a business.
Addressing the Lok Sabha on Saturday, an emotional Innocent said: "There are people who are businessmen, who also run hospitals like any other business. So they have pre-decided that every month certain targets of performing operations, dialysis and other procedures."
The actor-turned-politician told Parliament that this kind of exploitation needed to be stopped and that “it is for helping the public that each of us has been elected”.
While this was a general statement, Speaker Sumithra Mahajan said that she had allowed the MP from Chalakudy, Thrissur district, out of respect with his battle with cancer.
Innocent was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2012, and twice suffered a relapse. He kick-started a movement to start a cancer institute in Kochi, which was opened in July this year.
Referring to the discovery of fresh tumors in July this year, Innocent said: "I am happy to see you all. I had got sacred when I was diagnosed with cancer for the second time. I was doubtful about a coming back again. But that was a wrong thinking."
In a possible reference to the beef debate, and his state’s Kerala House in Delhi, Innocent ended his short speech by saying that there were “more important things in life that need intervention than entering people's kitchens and finding out what they eat”.